Building structure



p 7, 1968 s. L. M DONALD 3,401,492

BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 4, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. STEPHEN L MC DON D HIS ATTORNEY Sept. 17, 1968 s. L. M DONALD 3,401,492

BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 4, 1967 2 sheets-sheet 2 IN VENTOR I I STEPHEN NALD HIS ATTORNEY LHHHLJIMHIM i United States Patent 3,401,492 BUILDING STRUCTURE Stephen L. MacDonald, 3600 Millcreek Road, Salt Lake City, Utah 84106 Filed Jan. 4, 1967, Ser. No. 607,324 10 Claims. (CI. 5286) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A building structure having a plurality of modular shells, each of which has a rectangular base and a midportion which passes through a plane spaced apart from the plane of the base, pivotly connected in a side by side relationship to form a row, and connected at their midportion to a flexible cable. The row of -modular shells is secured to a fixed base to support said row in a predetermined position.

This invention relates generally to a structure used in the construction of buildings and the like.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a prefabricated modular building unit which may be joined together with similar units in a variety of positions to form a structural framework of predetermined shape and size.

It is another object of this invention to provide a lightweight maintenance-free building structure which is inexpensive to construct, easy to erect, while at the same time having strength and durability necessary for permanency.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a building structure which can be used to form side walls and/ or roofs for buildings of all types.

Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the invention is better understood by reference to the detailed description appearing hereinafter.

Briefly, the invention comprises a plurality of modular shells each of which has a rectangular base and an apex at a plane spaced apart from the plane of said base. Said bases are pivotly connected in a side by side relationship along adjacent edges to form a row and are fixedly attached at their midportion to a flexible cable. At least one shell of said row of modular shells is fixedly secured to support means whereby each of said modular shells is supported in a predetermined position. Preferably, said modular shells are pyramidal in shape and have a square base.

So that the invention may be more readily understood and carried into effect, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which are offered by way of example only and are not to be taken as limiting the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims, which obviously embrace equivalent structures and processes.

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of a building constructed according to my invention which is supported at one end on aconventional foundation.

FIGURE 2 is a top view of FIGURE 1 showing a plurality of rows of modular shells joined together according to my invention.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation view of a modular structure of my invention supported at opposite ends on a conventional foundation.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of FIGURE 2 taken along the plane of line 44 showing in detail one method of attaching a flexible cable to the apex of pyramidal shaped panels.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of FIGURE 4 taken along the plane of line 5-5.

FIGURE 6 is a partial top view of two pyramidal shaped panels joined along adjacent edges with the preferred pivotal joining means of my invention.

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FIGURE 7 is a sectional view of FIGURE 6 taken along the plane of line 77 showing in detail the integral components of the preferred pivotal connecting means.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view of one type of pivotal attaching means for securing an end of a modular shell to a support foundation.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, in FIGURES 1 and 2 there is shown a structure formed according to my invention which includes a plurality of modular shells or panels 10 joined along adjacent edges to form a row. Said sections 10 are fixedly connected at their apex 12 to flexible cable 14. One end 16 of the row of panels 10 is secured to a fixed support base 18 such as a conventional cement footing or pad. The end of cable 14 attached to panel 10 which is secured to base 18 can also be secured to base 18 to assist in supporting the structure. A cable or tie 17 can be attached between end 19 of said row of panels 10 and base 18 to prevent said row from moving upward when subject to upward forces such as those caused by wind.

FIGURE 3 shows a building formed according to my invention with each row of modular panels 10 connected at its opposite ends to support base 18. In a structure of this type, each of the modular panels 10 in any given row are pivotly connected along adjacent edges of their base in a side 'by side relationship as previously described. Flexible cable 14 is fixedly secured to apex 12 of each of said panels at a spacing which produces a tension on each segment of cable 14 between adjacent apexes 12 when said row of panels is secured at its opposite ends to base 18. Of course, by merely increasing or decreasing the length of cable 14 between adjacent panel apexes 12, the shape of the structure formed by said panels can be modified, i.e., the planes formed by the bases of adjacent panels are maintained at a predetermined angle by adjusting the length of cable 14.

Modular panel 10 is formed with a rectangular base and a midportion which passes through a plane spaced apart from the plane of said base, i.e., at the apex of said panel. Preferably, said modular section is pyramidal shaped, i.e., it is a pyramid, and has a square base. Said panels 10 may be constructed from any conventional material such as iron, steel, copper, aluminum, etc. However, it is generally preferred that they be constructed from a lightweight metal for obvious construction reasons. While panels 10 may be constructed with a solid interior they are preferably a shell type construction. The size of panel 10 and the separation between the plane of its base and its apex is dependent upon the type of structure contemplated and the strength required for such structure, i.e., greater separation is required for greater strength.

Preferably, apex 12, i.e., the point of greatest separation between the midportion of panel 10 and the plane of its base, is flattened to form a plane working surface which is preferably substantially parallel with the plane of said base for connecting cable 14 to said panel. As shown in FIGURE 5, one type of connector which can be used for this purpose is conventional U-bolt 20 which is attached to apex 12 of each panel 10 by passing its opposite ends through bore holes provided in said apex and thereafter connecting conventional nuts 22 to said ends. Said U-bolt 20 is sized to receive flexible cable 14 and when said cable is properly positioned therein nuts 22 are tightened to thereby securely attach said cable to apex 12. It is to be noted that a plurality of U-bolts 20 can be used at each apex if required.

Cable 14 can be any flexible cable means, metal or nonmetal, having sufiicient strength to retain the structure of my invention in a predetermined shape. Preferably, a conventional steel cable is used for this purpose. Said cable may, of course, be coated or treated to prevent rust or other deterioration.

H V 3 i As indicated, panels are placed in a side by side relationship, i.e., sides 24 of panels 10 are placed substantially adjacent to each other, and are thereafter pivotly connected together. One preferred type of panel connecting means is shown in FIGURES 6 and 7. As illustrated, slotted adaptors 26 and 28 are attached to edges 24 of modular panels 10. Said adaptors may be attached by crimping them, as shown in the drawings, or in any other conventional fashion, e.g., welding, bolting, etc. Adaptor 25 ,is provided with a plurality of outwardly extending fingers which coact with inwardly extending slots in adaptor 2'8, i.e., the slots and fingers in each of said adaptors mesh together in a programmed fashion.

Bore hole 30, sized to receive connecting rod 32, is provided in said adaptors and extends therethrough. When said connecting rod 32 is passed through said bore hole 30, adaptors 26 and 28, with connected panels 10, are

pivotly joined together. To prevent moisture from pass- 7 ing through the junction between adaptors 26 and 28,

a conventional sealing compound, not shown in the drawing, is applied to the surface between said adaptors.

As previously indicated, it is necessary to secure at least one panel of each row of modular panels 10 to a fixed base. As shown in FIGURE 8, one adaptor of the type described, e.g., adaptor 28, can be embedded in concrete and thereafter panel 10 with connected adaptor 26 can be secured to said adaptor 28 by passing rod 32 through bore hole as previously described. It is to be noted, however, that any conventional attaching means can be used to secure the end or ends of said row of modular panels to base 18, or to secure any individual panel lit to base 18.

It is often desirable to connect a plurality of rows of modular panels together. This may be done by pivotally connecting adjacent rows of said panels in the fashion previously described, or, as shown in FIGURES 4 and 8, a side plate 34 may be attached to the sides of modular panels 10 which is the outside edge of rows formed by said panels. Conventional screws or bolts can be passed through bore holes provided in said flanges 34 to thereby fixedly connect adjacent panels.

It is to be noted that the word rectangle as used in the foregoing description and in the claims refers to any four-sided plane figure with four right angles, i.e. a quadrilateral figure having all its angles right angles, and thus its opposite sides equal and parallel. When adjacent sides become equal the rectangle becomes a square. The word apex refers to the summit of the midportion of the panel 10. Whereas there is here illustrated and specifically described a certain preferred apparatus which is presently regarded as the best mode of carrying out my invention, it should be understood that various changes may be made and other construction adopted without departing from the inventive subject matter particularly pointed out and claimed.

I claim:

1. A building structure which comprises a plurality of modular shells, each having a substantially rectangular base and an apex spaced apart from the plane of said base; connecting means attached to opposite side edges of the base of said shells for pivotally connecting said modular shells together in a side by side relationship to form a row of said shells; flexible cable 'rneans fixedly attached to each of said shells proximate said apex for maintaining said bases of adjacent shells in said row at a predetermined angle; and support means for supporting at least one of said modular shells in said row at a fixed position wherein each of said modular Shells is supported at a predetermined position with said flexible cablemeans being under tension between apexes of adjacent modular shells in said row.

2. The building structure of claim 1 wherein said'recta'ngular base of said modular shells is a square.

3. The building structure of claim 2 wherein said modular shell is substantially pyramidal shaped.

4. The building structure of claim-'3 wherein the apex of said pyramidal shaped modular shell is a plane'surface which is substantially parallel with'the plane of the base of said modular shell.

5. The building structure of claim '4 wherein said flexible cable means is fixedly secured to the apex of each of said modular panels with a U-bolt which is secured to said plane surface of said apex.

6. The building structure of claim 1 wherein each end of said row of modular panels is fixedly attached to support means for supporting said row of panels in a predetermined arrangement with said flexiblepcable means being under tension between apexes of adjacent modular shells in said row.

7. The building structure of claim 6 wherein said rectangular base of said modular shells is a square.

8., The building structure of claim 7'- wherein said modular shell is substantially pyramidalshaped.

9. The building structure of claim 8. wherein the apex of said pyramidal shaped modular shell is-a =Plane surface which is substantially parallel with the plane of the base of said modular shell. 1 I

10. The building structure of claim 9'wherein said flexible cable means is fixedly secured to the apex of each of said modular panels with a U-bolt. whichis secured to said plane surface of said apex.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS- KENNETH DOWNEY, Primary Exan'ziner.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PATENT OFFICE Washington, 0.6. 20231 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,401,492 September 17, 1968 Stephen L Macdonald It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the heading to the drawing sheets 1 and 2, line 1, "S. L. MacDonald" should read S. L. Macdonald lower right-hand corner of drawing line 2, "Stephen'L. McDonald" should read Stephen L. Macdonald In the heading to the'printed specification, line 3, "Stephen L. MacDonald" should read Stephen'L. Macdonald signed'and'sealed'this l0th'day'of March 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr. WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR. Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

